Sole or heel plate



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE J. DAVI SON, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

SOLE OR HEEL PLATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 481,478, dated August23, 1892.

Application filed October 17,1891. $erial No. 409,037. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE J. DAVISON, residing at Richmond, in thecounty of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Sole or Heel Plates, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention has for its object to provide a sole or heel plate whichwill be simple, easily and cheaply produced, can be quickly attached tothe shoe, and which will efiectually serve for the purpose intended.

Heel and sole plates now in general use are usually made of iron plates,which renders them thick and clumsy, so that the wearer is conscious ofWalking on something when they are applied. In attaching the ordinaryplates to the sole or heel of a shoe it is usual to fasten them on withscrews or to provide such plates with prongs, which are drivenvertically up into the sole or heel. This manner of securing them isvery objectionable, as the prongs or screws by entering the solematerially interfere with the elasticity or spring of such sole.Furthermore, when such plates are held in place by screws or a number ofprongs the sole of the shoe is soon rendered useless, as the leather isbroken and soon wears out. To avoid these objections, I provide a platewhich consists of a main or body portion formed of thin tempered steelhaving beveled edges and extensions formed with barbs, such main plateextensions and barbs being arranged and combined substantially in themanner hereinafter fully described in the specification, and pointed outin the claim, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure 1 is a View illustrating my improved heel and sole platesas applied to a shoe. Fig. 2 is a view illustrating the manner in whichmy plates are secured to the shoe-sole. Fig. 3 is a section of a portionof a shoe-sole, with one of my improved plates in place. Fig. 4 is across-section on the line 44, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blankfrom which the plate is formed, and Fig. 6 illustrates a modificationhereinafter referred to.

In the accompanying drawings, A indicates one of my improved heel orsole plates, which consists of a thin sheet of tempered steel,

which in practice is stamped out in the shape shown most clearly in Fig.5, its lower or tread face being dished shape and having its edgesbeveled, as at a a, whereby to add elasticity to the body and also toprevent possibility of the plate catching in the carpet when walking-over same.

The manner in which my improved platesare attached to the shoe is asfollows, and is most clearly illustrated in Fig. 4: An incision is madein the bottom of the shoe near the edge and at an angle, as at b, and inthis is inserted the barbed end a, the other barbed end a being held toengage the edge of the sole. Now by tapping the plate on the outer edgethe end a will be driven into the hole I) and the end a into the edge ofthe sole until the parts assume the position shown in Fig. 4. By formingthe plate and securing it to the shoe, as described, many advantages areobtained over the old way of securing shoe-plates. It will be seen thatthe body of the sole is punctured only at one point, and such openingbeing at an angle will be always pressed together and closed around thebarb of the end a thereby securely holding such end in place, the otherend being also held secure in the edge of the sole by theco1npression ofthe sole during walking. Furthermore, as the prongs enter the sole at anangle, as shown, the danger of the prongs wearing through the sole asthe sole wears out is avoided, and, furthermore, by fastening the plate,as stated, it readily adjusts itself to the curve of the sole or heel,and also avoids the danger of cutting into the welt of the shoe.

Instead of employing but one prong to enter the edge of the shoe I mayform the plate with two prongs a? a as shown in Fig. 6, in which case Ifind that they need not be pro vided withbarbs and are bent over atright angles and formed with knife-edges, as shown. By entering theshort prong a in the edge of the shoe at an angle, as stated, and theangles of both prongs being the same makes it easier to drive the plateon, and having but one point entering the sole does not interfere withor break the elasticity of the tread of the sole in walking as it doeswith devices which have two or more fastening-points in the sole.

I am aware it is not broadly new to make heel and sole plates withupturned fasteningprongs. This I do not claim; but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A heel or sole plate consisting of a body portion A, provided with abarbed extension 15 Witnesses:

H. SWINEFORD, F. W. DANNER.

